Intertwined Lives Continue Onward
by ohtheregoesmygrades
Summary: Sequel to "I: Intertwined" from my "Sakura's Love Types: A-Z Challenge"..so go read that one first because it's time for Itachi and Sakura to leave college to go home for the holiday break...and they haven't told anyone they're together yet.


**Author's Note:** HEY READ THIS - **T** **his fic is a sequel** to my ItaSaku, "Intertwined" from my "Sakura's Love Types-Alphabet Challenge." I highly suggest reading that one first.

This fic is dedicated to tumblr user swag-kura. After several lovely comments and being such an overall fantastic follower, I wanted to repay all the kindness. I hope you enjoy it!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters or world of Naruto they are the property of Masashi Kishimoto, and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be is for entertainment purposes only.

* * *

Itachi smiled softly at the girl who was sleeping on his shoulder. They were both exhausted. Finals had been rough and it was so good to finally be done for a while with school.

Break hadn't come quickly enough. As Sakura murmured and cuddled into his side more, he decided to just enjoy this little moment. Physical affection wasn't something they indulged in much. He envied her ability to sleep on the noisy train, but he felt lucky to be able to sit here and appreciate her gentle warmth.

Sakura had become desperately important to him in such a short period of time. Their lives had become intertwined so closely now. They were each other's favorite study partners. They joined each other at the gym regularly. They attended school events together. They talked for hours about nothing.

This little pink haired, slip of a woman had become just so precious. Itachi often found himself aching at the thought of going back to a life without her. Life without her seemed so empty now but he was so worried about truly expressing how he felt to her.

Itachi was older. He was more established in his school work and his life. He had done things and been places that she just hadn't yet had the time to do. She was still so young and so was their relationship. Itachi was so worried that he'd rush her or ask for more than she could give.

He wanted so badly to do this right. They were young. They had time. He wanted to take things slow and build a strong foundation with her. He wanted to give her the time and support she needed to achieve her own dreams and goals.

He knew he moved at a different pace than most people. He was the Uchiha heir. There was no need for him to go slow and take time to figure out what he wanted in life when because it had already been planned out for him long before he was born.

He knew all this but damn it was hard to remember when he looked at her.

"She looks so sweet and beautiful, even when she's exhausted," thought Itachi as he took in her mussed hair and the bags under her eyes.

Hesitantly, he reached out a hand to smooth back some of her loose hairs; only for a grin to break out across his face as she instinctively leaned into his touch.

"She's so affectionate even while sleeping. It can make it painful to be around her," he bemoaned to himself, "but it's a pain I'd gladly enjoy a thousand times over. It's a wonderfully pleasant pain."

He sent out a silent prayer for help to whoever was listening as he, once again, fought off all the thoughts of other pleasant things he wanted to do when around her.

As much as the depths of his feelings for her worried him, he was grateful he cared for her so much. He hated to think that if he cared for even a little less, he would have given into his baser desires by now. He just wasn't used to having to feeling this need to hold back on what he wanted. He was a young and healthy adult with an ambitious drive and confidence in what he wanted. Meanwhile, she was a young and healthy adult that he found very, very attractive.

He knew she wanted him too, they flirted quite a bit, but Itachi thought it was important to not complicate their relationship by adding another dimension like physical intimacy until their relationship was strong and more stable.

"Strong. And. Stable." He repeated to himself with a religious fervor as he did his best to avert his eyes and ignore the way her breasts were pushing onto his arm.

Sakura was intelligent, but she followed her heart without hesitation. Truly, he loved that about her, but it made him worry she'd rush before she was ready with him.

He didn't know how to tell her his worries without offending her or sounding like he didn't trust her judgment. He did trust her and he wanted to make sure their age gap wasn't an issue. But...

"I love her and it might just kill me if I hurt her," he ruminated. His brow furrowed deeply and his face was grim as he stared down the end of the train.

"Itachi," Sakura's sleepy voice drawing out his name pulled Itachi back to reality. She peered up at him; sleep still in her eyes and voice, "You're thinking too much again. It can't be good for your health, silly over-analyzing Uchiha."

"Hn." Sakura crinkled her nose at his oh-so-typical Uchiha response and pulled him in closer to snuggle. He let her, easily slouching down to accommodate her shorter frame; he looped an arm around her shoulder.

This position was sure to kill his back very quickly, but they both needed this. His worries about intimacy and their age gap were going to need to go down on the priority list for now. Before they could work on the future of their relationship, they needed to get through the present.

According, to the announcer on the train's intercom system-the present problem of their relationship was only 2 stops and 30 minutes away.

Konohagakure, home sweet home.

* * *

Sakura shivered as she got off the train at the station. The cold holiday air was brisk on her face and did nothing to help the impending sense of doom that was growing in her stomach.

Itachi seemed to sense her unease and flashed her a comforting look while giving her hand a quick squeeze. Meeting his eyes, she took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. Together, they adjusted their bags and continued walking through the station to find their rides home.

"Oh god, oh god, oh god," Sakura was panicking in her head while desperately not trying to let it show, "Why didn't we come up with a better plan? We're supposed to be smart! No, we'll wing it, we said. We'll go with what feels right, we said." Sakura's thoughts to herself grew agitated as she remembered their discussion on how to tell their parents they were dating.

Her memories of Itachi's family seemed to twist in her mind. Suddenly, they seemed like looming vampires, ready to eat the souls' of the unworthy. She, of course, was very unworthy. Why a pink-haired fool like her? Trying to date their son?

Never in a million years.

"Mikoto Uchiha was the kindest person I knew as a child, but I honestly could not fear her more right now," panicked thoughts continued through her mind as they pushed their through the crowded train station. "She could totally eat me alive. And she probably will-she loved her sons! Oh but what about his dad? That man was terrifying."

Memories of Naruto's childhood theory that Fugaku Uchiha was actually part robot began to resurface in her mind. She began to fear that maybe the blonde idiot had actually been right. She couldn't remember a single time she'd ever seen Fugaku Uchiha smile.

"Ha," Itachi raised a brow at the quiet laugh his girlfriend let out as they found a place to settle. Choosing not to question her for now, he adjusted their bags in close to them as they scanned the station for their rides. They were near the entrance but their families didn't seem to be here yet.

Continuing to muse to herself Sakura reflected, "Oh, and here he was worried about how I'd feel seeing Sasuke again." This time she didn't let her laughter escape as she scanned the crowds for her parents.

When it came to telling the Uchiha clan about their relationship, Sasuke was the last person Sakura thought of. As she saw it, her own parents were more likely to cause a fuss then Sasuke would. She and Sasuke hadn't talked since graduation.

"Heck, we barely talked at all in High School," Sakura thought with only a little twinge. Truthfully, she and Sasuke may have been close when they were young, but it had been an artificial closeness. She'd only really come to realize it as she'd gotten older and had time to fill the space in her life with other interests.

She and Sasuke had been close because they had spent a lot of time together. They had spent time together because they had been in the same age, in the same classes, same little leagues, and all the other aspects of childhood.

Heck, in some ways she thought even her preteen crush on him had grown more out of him simply being conveniently around and less to do with genuine feelings.

Yeah, Sasuke had been an ass in high school, but it was high school. Surely, they'd be able to work through any awkward tension easily enough. Her parents panicking about her dating a grad student or Itachi's parents not wanting their heir to marry someone so low on the totem pole were much more real fears that plagued her.

"Hmm?" Questioningly, Sakura turned to Itachi after hearing him groan. First taking a moment to yawn and stretch his arms above his head, Itachi then turned to his girlfriend with a shrug.

"I don't need see anyone, Saku. Maybe they're not here yet?"

"It could be the weather. Mom's been complaining about the roads being icy."

"Hn, Dad had mentioned the force was seeing a rise in accidents."

"Ah, see that could be it then. The holiday crowd is probably slowing them all down as well. It's that time of the year," Sakura reminded him with a giggle.

"Yes, there is that." Itachi had initially responded to her with kindness in his eyes, but then a mischievous glint had quickly taken over his expression.

"Uchiha," Sakura dragged the last syllable of his name out with a warning tone, "What are you thinking?"

Itachi let out a dark chuckle and gave a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows.

"Just thinking of holiday cheer, Sa-Ku-Ra," claimed Itachi as he teased out the syllables of her name back at her.

"Holiday cheer? Really now?" Sakura was not impressed and highly suspicious at her boyfriend who was beginning to lean in towards her.

"Why yes, it's that time of the year after all. Time for family, presents, and mistletoe," he said with a wink.

"Mistletoe? You don't say," laughed Sakura relaxing into their banter and leaning up towards Itachi.

"Oh yes, mistletoe. Your holidays aren't complete without it. Very useful little plant."

"Useful? Whatever for?" Sakura flirted back in pretend ignorance.

"Families, of course."

"What?" With a slight blush, Sakura leaned back and looked at her boyfriend in confusion.

"Don't you see my dear flower? Just think about all the worrying about what to say to our families, if we could just show them?" Itachi wiggled his eyebrows at her again and gave her another wink.

Laughing at her boyfriend's naughty joke, she decided to tease him as he reached down to give her a little peck. He had taken to being more verbally open with her, but he was still trying to remain physical refrained.

"But I'm going to get him now," Sakura thought quickly, "who knows when our parents will show and when we'll next get to kiss."

Throwing her arms around him, Sakura leaned in for a big kiss and pulled him close. Not being able to resist her, Itachi gave in and pulled her snug along his body. He'd keep the kiss mild but he'd at least let them cherish the feeling of tightly holding onto one another.

" **WHAT. THE. HELL.** " Cue Sasuke Uchiha: The Anti-Wingman, he's not just a cock-block anymore folks! Coming in only this pasty model, he does turns this alarming shade of red (that you're seeing now) when angry or confronted with anything that may cause an emotional reaction (though he will deny the existence of his emotions). The Anti-Wingman can always be counted on for all your bad-timing needs! Order today! Numbers are limited (thank god).

Breaking their kiss, Itachi and Sakura turned bright red and looked each other in the eye in mutual embarrassment. Giving a nervous laugh, the young couple turned to greet Sasuke.

"Hello, little brother. Good to see you again."

Sasuke met his brother's greeting with stony silence. Slowly, he shifted his eyes between his brother and former classmate.

He had been sent into the station to find them by his mother who had remained outside with his father. The Uchiha parents were helping Sakura's parents. The Haruno parents were stuck in the station parking lot with a bad tire. As the only member of the family with any real social skills, his mother had insisted that they help his old classmate's family, but it was proving easier said then done.

Sasuke had grudgingly agreed to find the returning college students at his mother's insistence. He had fully been expecting that he'd have to wander everywhere trying to locate both of them. Truly, he hadn't expected to find them right next to each other. He certainly hadn't expected to find them kissing and wrapped in each other's arms in a cozy little corner of the station.

He had no idea how to feel. He refused to feel (typical anti-wingman). This was just too weird.

Breaking under the silence, Sakura tried to ease the tension with a small laugh. Sasuke locked onto the noise and stared her down. In response, Sakura leaned back into Itachi for support.

"Oh maybe I should have worried about his response more," Sakura silently considered.

"Brother, I think you remember Sakura," began Itachi, drawing Sasuke's attention.

"Yes, big brother. I remember the girl I've gone known since grade school. But that doesn't _help_ or _explain_ ** _anything._** "

"Sakura and I met again at university. We had a class together and got to know each other more," Itachi explained. "We're dating now."

Sakura grew rather concerned that they'd managed to permanently break Sasuke as he froze for a few seconds and only his eyebrow moved, twitching in a rather violent matter.

The young couple shared a look, desperately wishing they knew what to say. Itachi opened his mouth to speak again but Sasuke just held up a hand and stopped him.

"If you're...dating," his mouth seemed to stumble over the word like it was foreign, "then you can darn well help each other with your bags on your own. Come on, our parents are with her parents in the parking lot."

Turning on his heel, Sasuke trudged out to the parking lot. Shaking off, Sasuke's... _Sasuke-ness_ , they shrugged their shoulders at one another, gathered their bags, and followed him out. This was probably the best they could do for now. Sasuke was like a cat, you just kind of had to leave him be and let him come to you on his own.

For now, it was time to focus on seeing their parents.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

There may be a part 3 to this, I'm not sure yet. If there is I'll attach it on to here, but until then I'll consider this work "complete."

NOTE: Please do NOT make spin-offs, sequels, podfics, or similar works without my permission. Fan ART is the exception to this, feel free to make fan art of my work. I have no artistic talent so I'd love to see your's!

Thank you for Reading.


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